Machine for preparing light-weight rubber cloth



(No Model.) P. E. ALDRICH. 2 SheetsSheet 1. Machine for Preparing LightWeight Rubber 010th.

No. 235,117. Patented Dec. 7,1880.

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(No ModelQ) 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

P. E. ALDRICH. Machine for PreparingLight Weight Rubber. 010th.

No; 235,117. Patented Dec. 7,1880.

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Parana FRANK E. ALDRICH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING LIGHT-WEIGHT RUBBER CLOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,117, dated December7, 1880.

Application filed October 21, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK E. ALDRICH, ofBoston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Machines for PreparingLight-Weight Rubber Cloth, of which the following is a specification.

This is an improved machine for coating cloth with rubber or acomposition of which rubber is an ingredient, for the purpose ofproducing gossamer fabric, subsequently to be made into water-proofgarments, &c.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate like parts, I5 Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe improved machine, unimportant portions being broken out at thecenter. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are detachedviews of straight and curved knives, respectively.

(t represents the frame of the machine. '1'; is a roll fixed upon theshaft 0, to which power is communicated by means of pulley 0. dis apressure-roll lying upon roll I) and allowed vertical play in the frame6. g is a roll at the opposite end of the machine, similar to roll b. Atintervals between the rolls 1) and g are placed elliptical rolls f f.

The fabric y is made into an endless belt, and is stretched from theroll I) over elliptical rolls f, around roll g, and back underelliptical rolls f to roll I). A knife, 7c,-usually made adjustable in asupport, h, stretches across and presses upon the fabric between theroll I) and the first roll f.

Power having been applied to the shaft 0, the roll b moves the fabric yin the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Between the roll I)and and the knife k, (which is inclined toward the approaching fabric,)theliquid coating is poured upon the cloth. The knife 70 presses thecoating into the fabric and serves to spread it evenly. A drip-pan, l,is placed beneath the knife to receive the overflow.

In machines as commonly constructed the endless belt passes from roll I)under a knife, is, and perhaps over rolls of even thickness to roll g,thence back to roll b, to receive another coat, and so on until, say,ten to forty coats 50 have been applied. In this machine the fabricpasses over and under elliptical rolls ff, by

(No model.)

which means all longitudinal wrinkling is avoided, as each ellipticalroll has a tendency to stretch the fabric laterally, thus doing awaywith stretching by hand; also, in this machine a supplementary knife,76', held in support h, and having a drip-pan, Z, is provided near theroll 9, at the opposite end of the machine, in front of which knifeanother liquid coat is poured upon the fabric. Thus two coats areapplied to the fabric with suflicient drying space between them beforeit returns'to the roll I).

hen it is remembered that a large number of coats are often applied, andthat the fabric moves slowly through a machine fifty to seventy-fiveyards long, it will be seen that much time is saved by applying a coatin front of the supplementary knife is, at the farther end. The timetaken for the fabric to return to the roll I), as well as to pass fromit, is utilized, a coat drying while the fabric is returning.

A fine finish is produced by means of the pressure-roll (I, whichpresses the liquid into the fabric, supplementing the work of the 7knives.

The knife as ordinarily constructed in such machines is straight and setso as to tip to ward the approachingfabric, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and3. It is found that the liquid, when poured in front of a straightknife, has a tendency to flow toward the edges, thus slighting thecenter. To obviate this difficulty the knife a, (see Fig. 41,) securedto the support m, is constructed. This knife is curved, having been cuton a circle, so as to present a concave front to the approaching fabricand liquid. The curve is intended to be just sufficient to overcome thetendency to overcoat the sides, and to produce an even coat throughoutthe width. A corresponding curve downward toward the center is made uponthe edge of the knife, so that it may tip forward and yet treat thefabric equally. The convexity of the edge is just sufficient to make ithorizontal when theknife is properly inclined.

By means of this improved machine much time is saved and a fine finishis obtained.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described machine for apply ing the coating material inthe manufacture of light-weight rubber cloth, the same consisting of theframe co, roll I), to which driving mechanism is applied, and knife 70near said roll, and at the opposite end of the frame the roll g, andsupplementary knife It near said roll g, supporting-rolls being placedat intervals between the two rolls 1) and g, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for applying the coating material in the manufacture oflight-weight rubber cloth, the combination, with the frame a, knife 7t,and roll I), of the pressure and finishing roll d, held in the frame a,all arranged I and constructed substantially as and for the i purposedescribed.

3. In combination with the rolls 1) and g and i knife is, all supportedby the frame a, the elliptical rolls f, constructed substantially asdescribed, for the purpose of preventing the wrinkling of the fabricduring treatment.

4. In a machine for applying the coating material in the manufacture oflight-weight rubber cloth, the curved knife n, constructed as described,to present a concave front to the approaching fabric and coatingmaterial, and having its edge curved so as to be horizontal when theknife is inclined forward at a suitable angle, for the purposespecified.

FRANK E. ALDRICH.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. TILLIAMS, B. XV. WILLIAMs.

